Welcome back everyone! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

KEEPING SECRETS CHAPTER 26- BRIGHT EYES... BLINDED BY FEAR OF LIFE

"You folks need to beat it. This ain't a spot for tourists." Zancrow said with a maniacal smile.

Why does he smell so different? Natsu thought.

However, before he could say anything, Jackal interjected. "We ain't tourists, dumbass! We're looking for a guy named Rustyrose! You know him?"

Zancrow's smile disappeared. "Rustyrose? How do you know that name? What do you-"

"Zancrow!" Natsu shouted, capturing the other man's attention. "How the Hell are you still alive?"

Zancrow's smile returned, and he cocked his head. "Sorry, have we met?"

Natsu scowled. "Sure have, you conveniently forget losing to me?"

Zancrow's grin grew. "HA! You're funny. I don't lo-"

The god slayer's declaration was caught off as August stretched his hand out, and a moment later, Zancrow vanished into thin air... but the scent of a person nearby remained.

Natsu's eyes widened. "What the Hell was that?"

"That," August said, "was Arc of Embodiment at work. Rustyrose recreated his deceased guildmate with it. I simply cast an anti-magic spell to disperse the faux- Zancrow and draw our target out."

"Well that explains why he smelled so different." Natsu said, turning as he heard footsteps approaching from the ruins of the airship. However, the man who emerged from them was not Rustyrose either, but a dark-skinned man with thick, spiky dark brown hair and a goatee.

"Zancrow!" The new man gritted his teeth and reared his arms back, clearly readying an attack. "You'll pay for-"

Before the new man could finish his sentence, August waved his hand again, and like Zancrow, this new man also vanished.

"Another one?" Jackal said, obviously bewildered.

"Indeed." August said. Raising his voice, August yelled. "You might as well come out. I will dispel any more of your friends you send at us without hesitation."

Footsteps approached from the ruins of the airship again, and out stepped a man with silver hair, messily styled into a mohawk, wearing a tattered fur lined jacket and chipped goggles. Scowling at them, the man said, "You will pay for what you've done to my comrades."

"That's him." Natsu said to August and Jackal, who nodded.

August stepped forward, his expression showing he meant business. Natsu saw Rustyrose's confident stance waver, as the ex- Grimoire Heart mage was no doubt feeling the weight of August's incredible magic aura. "You misunderstand us. We are not here to harm you. In fact, we are looking for you specifically, Rustyrose."

Rustyrose sneered. "I bet. No doubt to turn me into the Magic Council for a bounty! I'll die before I go with you! Arc of Embodiment, Sacred Guardian Beast- Belcusas the Thunderclap!" A humanoid looking monster with a horned helmet appeared and charged at them, but August nullified it as well.

"Fuck the Magic Council!" Jackal shouted. "Would ya just quit being stupid for five seconds and listen to us? We're here from the Alvarez Empire!"

That seemed to get Rustyrose's attention. "Alvarez? Well you're all certainly a long way from home. What business could the empire across the sea possibly have here?"

"In a word- you." August said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am August, Commander of the Spriggan Twelve, His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Spriggan's most elite soldiers." He gestured to Jackal, continuing, "This is Jackal, chief guard to the prince." Finally, he gestured to Natsu; "And this is His Majesty's younger brother, Natsu Dragneel, crown prince of the empire."

Natsu stepped forward, and attempting to remember Invel's lessons, smiled and said in a friendly voice, "Hello, Rustyrose. I'm glad we found you. There's something I need your help with."

Rustyrose, for all his hostility so far, bowed his head slightly. "Your Highness..." he said with uncertainty, furrowing his brow. "You look... a bit familiar."

Natsu smirked. "You may have caught a glimpse of me several years back... on Tenrou Island."

Rustyrose's eyes widened. "Wait... you were with Fairy Tail?!"

Natsu moved his cape from over his right arm, showing off his Fairy Tail guild mark. "Sure was!"

Rustyrose looked at him up and down with a confused look on his face. "Why in Zeref's name would the heir to the throne of the world's most powerful country be in a lowly wizard guild?"

Natsu's smile slipped a bit. "Simply put, I had memory loss. Now..." He smiled again, and said, "Why don't you come with us and hear what we have to offer? I think you'll be interested."

Rustyrose smirked. "Well, I appreciate the offer, Your Highness, but as you can see, I am very busy rebuilding my guild here."

Jackal cackled. "Well, from the looks of it, you're doing a bang-up job so far."

Rustyrose scowled at Jackal. "We've had some setbacks, but things are turning in our favor. With those fools in Avatar imprisoned, the outcasts and rejects of Ishgar's magic society will be looking for a new home to stand up to the draconic laws of the Magic Council. Yes, I'll recruit the riffraff... then I can convince Kain and Meredy to rejoin me this time, I know it!" He spread his arms, and yelled to the sky, "And then, the world will tremble before us as we usher in the ultimate magic world!"

Jackal gave Rustyrose a bewildered look before turning to Natsu, and whispering, "Are you sure we need this guy? He seems a bit kuku..."

Natsu rolled his eyes. I forgot his file said he had a thing for dramatics... great, another one. He pushed down his desire to just knock the guy out. "Yeah, I'm sure." He told Jackal, before looking back at Rustyrose, and forced himself to smile, "I really think you should hear what we have to say. You might find our goals are not so different."

Rustyrose cocked an eyebrow. "Oh really? Well, if that's the case..." He snapped his fingers, and 4 chairs appeared before them. "I think Grimoire Heart could consider an alliance with the empire."

"The gesture is appreciated, but unnecessary." August said. Stretching out his hand he continued, "Why don't you come back with us to our airship? We are on a bit of a timetable... and while it's unlikely, the longer we wait, the higher the chance we have of being discovered."

Rustyrose scowled again. "What, so you can kidnap me? And destroy all I've worked for? Nice try, but I'll have to decline. We can talk here, or you all can head home."

Natsu's smile vanished. "I don't think you understand the position you're in here." Natsu nodded at August, who stepped forward.

Rustyrose felt the magic in the air shift, but before he could conjure a counterattack, he found himself face first against the ground, air knocked from his lungs as if he had been hit by a massive tidal wave.

He attempted to push himself back up but found himself met with a pressure of magical energy, more intense than he'd ever felt before. "Wh-what is this power?" He choked out, his theatrical inflection gone, replaced by raw, unfiltered terror.

"I suppress the aura my magic naturally emits to avoid what just occurred to you happening to everyone I pass by. However, since you have refused to listen to us, I thought I would attempt to get you to listen another way- by showing you if we really wanted to kidnap you, we could have done so the moment we set foot here." August suppressed his aura again and offered a hand to Rustyrose.

"Let's try again," Natsu said, "Why don't you come back with us to our airship? You can enjoy some refreshments while you listen to our offer... and if you don't like what we have to say, August and I are skilled in teleportation magic, so we can just bring you back here. So... what do you say?"

Rustyrose looked up at August, a bewildered look on his face. Finally, he scowled and took the wizard king's hand. "Fine. Not like I have a choice anyways..." He muttered to himself.

"Well, great. By the way, there's always a choice. Good thing for you is you're making the right one." Natsu looked back at a surprised Rustyrose with a smirk on his face, the other mage clearly thinking no one had heard him.

"Boss is a dragon slayer dumdum, he can hear almost anything. Think about that before you mouth off to yourself again." Jackal said.

Jackal and Natsu laid hands on August's shoulders, while August laid a hand on Rustyrose's shoulder. A moment and flash of magic energy later, the four of them were back on the bridge of Alvarez's new flagship.

Rustyrose looked around, clearly shocked at his new surroundings. "What kind of airship is this?"

"My masterpiece!" Wall's voice came as the macias hopped off the navigator's chair, coming over to talk to Natsu and his group. "My immaculate design, constructed by the best of the empire's mages and engineers." Turning to Natsu, he asked, "This your guy, Your Highness?" As Natsu nodded, Wall's grin grew and he cackled, startling Rustyrose. "Well, I'm Wall Eehto of the Spriggan 12. Nice to meet ya. Why don't y'all go enjoy yourselves in the good seats?"

"Great idea, Wall. Over here, Rustyrose." Natsu said, walking over to the viewing area and sitting on the throne. Jackal, August, and Rustyrose followed. "Wall, get us back to Vistarion. Also, can you have the kitchen staff send up some refreshments for our new friend?"

"On it, Your Highness!" Wall yelled from the navigator's chair. As the rest of the crew prepped the ship for liftoff, he pressed some buttons on the armrest console and relayed Natsu's orders to the kitchen staff.

"Now," August said, sitting down, and facing Rustyrose. "Tell us more about this ultimate magic world you seem keen on creating."

Rustyrose smirked. "The ultimate magic world which we of Grimoire Heart seek will be a paradise for mages. Magic will be allowed to be used freely, and lost magic will be celebrated, not condemned. The Magic Council and their archaic laws will be dismantled, and those who are not mages will be destroyed. If any do happen to survive the culling, well, they can spend what's left of their existence serving us."

Jackal, Natsu, and August exchanged glances with each other. "Why so much hatred for non mages?" Natsu asked.

Rustyrose scowled. "They are barbarians who know nothing of the beauty of magic. It is their fear which caused the Magic Council to enact such ridiculous regulations against lost magic. They fear what they do not understand, and force that fear onto us! In a world without them, mages will be able to use magic in ways we've never even imagined, without them holding us back!"

"Are you sure this isn't coming from somewhere... personal, Rusty?" Natsu asked.

Rustyrose's expression darkened. "Rustyrose." He corrected. "I'm a bit offended that you would insinuate my hatred is born of pettiness. Though truthfully, I don't find it surprising you'd defend the non-mage sheeple. As if a Fairy Tail mage could understand the eminence of the world we seek to create."

August scowled. "Fairy Tail mage or not, Natsu is a member of the Imperial family, and the second highest ranked person in the empire. You would do well to mind your tongue and show him the proper respect."

Rustyrose looked agitated but nodded. "Respectfully, of course, Your Highness. My frustration lies not with you personally per se, but what the result of our respective guilds' battle brought about. Our airship, destroyed. Our beloved guild master, Hades, dead, along with my comrades Azuma, Caprico, and Zancrow. Even those who survived turned their backs on the guild- Kain ran off to a circus, a circus , of all things, and Meredy-"His voice cracked with anger as he spoke. "-Meredy hunts our allies now, serving the same Council that would love to see her jailed along with them! I tried to bring them home, but neither one of them would listen! I have no clue where Bluenote or Ultear made off to... and now, the ultimate magic world- the paradise we longed for- is further away than ever!" Rustyrose clenched his fists as he shouted, his frustration clearly growing.

Natsu did his best to remember what Invel said in their lessons; "Even in diplomacy, you may find your emotion running high- do your best to listen regardless. You might find thinking through what they say, even if it is something you would vehemently disagree with normally, a solution will present itself."

Natsu leaned back in his chair. "Well, let me tell you what I think. I fought Kain. He seemed like a pretty simple-minded guy. He wasn't cut out for being a dark mage. Caprico's real name was Zoldeo, and he was just nuts. In his defense, I probably would have been too if I had spent all that time in the body of a goat man. And Fairy Tail didn't kill him- his own magic did that. Same for that Azuma guy, according to my friend that fought him. Hades and Zancrow- we didn't kill them either." Natsu's face became serious, but there was a look of sorrow in his eyes. "You know who did, right?"

Rustyrose's face seemed to pale, and he slowly nodded. "Lord Zeref... we seemed to displease him greatly." He whispered. Voice raising, he continued, "I don't understand- we had the keys! We were moments away from his awakening, but he claimed he was never asleep! That the keys were phony, that he was trying to save people by staying on that island? Ridiculous! Lord Zeref would never-"

August cut him off. "He spoke the truth. The 'keys' you collected to awaken Zeref were indeed nothing more than fabrication- myths Hades- or rather, Precht- chased to justify his delusions. Especially disappointing, given your former master's history with Zeref." His tone grew embittered on mentioning Precht.

Rustyrose looked dumbstruck. "How could you possibly know that? And what history with Lord Zeref?"

"All in good time." Natsu said. "Did Hades ever tell you his past, Rustyrose?"

"He told us he was once blind, walking the path of a legal guild mage, before he realized the true origin of magic could be traced to Lord Zeref! Then his eyes were opened to the glory of the ultimate magic world Lord Zeref was to usher in!"

August and Jackal narrowed their eyes, clearly wanting to correct the former Grimoire Heart mage.

Natsu spoke first. "He seemed to forget a lot of details. Hades-" Natsu cut himself off, sour look on his face, as he continued, "-or Precht Gaebolg, his real name. I'm not calling him that stupid made up name. Anyways, he was a fool. Precht wasn't just a legal guild mage- he was one of the founders of Fairy Tail and eventually its second master. And like all the founders of Fairy Tail, he was trained by Zeref himself."

Rustyrose had been giving Natsu a nasty look since he had called Precht's alias stupid, but his last revelation brought a look of shock to his face. "Lord Zeref... trained Master Hades? But how? That doesn't-"

"Precht and the other founders were adventurers. They came across people who needed their help, but they had to take down a dark guild to do so. And by chance, they encountered Zeref- they didn't know who he was, mind you- but Mavis, the one who ultimately decided to form the guild, made an impression on him, so he taught them magic." Rustyrose didn't say anything, so Natsu continued, "Now, you're telling me after being trained by Zeref, Precht couldn't get at least some sort of grasp on his personality? At least enough to, oh I don't know, know that the myths he read about him were bull? That everything he was doing in Grimoire Heart was against what he had been taught by Zeref himself?"

"No... that's not..." Rustyrose stammered out, only to be cut off by Natsu again.

"Right? I promise you it is!" Natsu's tone became sharp, and he lurched forward on the throne. "Precht was a failure! He failed Zeref, he failed his guild- both Fairy Tail, and all of you in Grimoire Heart- and he failed the person he set out to save, which was the whole reason he learned forbidden magic in the first place! Master Mavis, his friend! He abandoned her for a lie!" Natsu clenched his fists as he said the part about Mavis.

Rustyrose, however, looked- and sounded- shaken by Natsu's words. He clutched the armrests of his seat and shook his head vigorously. "No, you're wrong!" Rustyrose yelled, voice starting to break and eyes starting to grow glossy. "Master Hades was brilliant- he couldn't have been wrong! He gave us purpose- he gave me purpose! And he believed in us- he said we'd build a better world together!"

"No." Natsu said, voice growing calm again. "He gave you a lie. He used you. Just like the Bureau of Magical Development and Brain did."

Rustyrose looked shocked, and his face grew pale again. "How could you possibly know that?"

Natsu smirked. "Requip." A small portal opened, and the intelligence file marked 'Rose family of Crocus' fell out, straight onto Natsu's open palm. "From this."

"W-w-wh-"

"The empire has the largest intelligence network in the world. There is little we can NOT find out." August said, interrupting Rustyrose's stammering.

Natsu opened the file. "So... Rustyrose. Or is Rusty okay now?" The other mage didn't respond, so Natsu continued, "Son of Lord Alexander Rose and Lady Tarja Rose...wow, you guys look genuinely happy." He held open the report for Rustyrose to see, pointing to a picture of the man as a young boy with both of his parents. "You don't see that a lot with noble families. Though I guess you guys weren't as well off as a lot of other noble families in Fiore, but you still didn't go without. That about right?" Rustyrose didn't answer. He simply stared at Natsu, mouth slightly agape.

Shrugging, Natsu went back to reading. "But there was something your family had those other nobles certainly didn't- they were the guardians of an ancient spell; a very powerful form of lost magic that could make anything the caster could imagine a reality- Arc of Embodiment. Wow. And let's see... ah. Even upon his last official questioning by the Council, your father refused to denounce his magic, even though it was branded illegal and 'black magic'. He said Arc of Embodiment was a gift, like all magic was- that when used properly, it could help others and change the world for the better." Natsu looked up at Rustyrose. "Is that the same thing he taught you, Rusty?"

Rustyrose didn't answer, though Natsu could smell the salt from the tears that were silently flowing down the other mage's face and saw that he had started to shake ever so slightly.

"He was right." Natsu said, face growing serious and a sense of authority entering his voice, trying to emulate how his brother sounded when he got serious about this kind of stuff. "Magic is a tool, and the mage decides its purpose- and it can be used to help people to make the world a better place. But... the Council doesn't see things that way, do they? Some magic is just 'too dangerous' to be used." His tone became bitter and mocking upon mentioning the Council. "So amazing magic, like Arc of Embodiment, gets labelled 'black magic'... no matter what purpose it is used for. Such as... saving someone from certain death. Making a shield to save a child from being crushed by falling rubble... it really didn't make a difference to them, did it? Some 'concerned citizen' reported the name of the spell to a rune knight... and suddenly your father was a criminal."

"It's... it's... it's not fair!" Rustyrose's voice cracked as he exploded in rage, shooting out of his seat. "The man that reported Father- he was his friend! Why would he think Father was evil because of that spell? It was all because he was a non-mage!" He breathed heavily for a moment, holding back sobs, before glaring up at Natsu, August, and Jackal. "And that is why non-mages are a cancer upon this world! They write their laws condemning our magic and then act like they've done the world a SERVICE by getting rid of us! Without them, my father wouldn't have died in a filthy cell like an animal! I would have never been separated from my mother, and she would have never..." His voice trailed off before he sank to his knees, hands covering his face, sobbing so hard his body shook. August closed his eyes and nodded, sympathizing with the man, while Jackal awkwardly looked away, clearly uncomfortable.

Natsu, however, stood up and walked over to Rustyrose, laying a hand on his shoulder. Tone still firm, but spoken with a bit more tenderness, he continued; "I know the rest of the story. You were handed to the Bureau of Magic Development, for 'reeducation purposes'. On paper, anyway. In truth, they performed inhumane experiments on you for one reason- your magic. Despite their public insistence it was black magic, they wanted it for themselves, didn't they? But try as they might... they couldn't replicate it. Something about the magical affinity your bloodline possesses makes your family the only known ones who can wield Arc of Embodiment. I'm sure that was frustrating for Brain and his men." Natsu saw Rustyrose flinch at the mention of Brain. "But then, Brain turned tail and ran... and left you as a gift for Precht."

Rustyrose didn't respond, so Natsu continued, "Did you know your old guildmate, Ultear, had a very similar story to yours'? Her mother took her to the Bureau, hoping they could help Ultear control her immense magic power. Instead, they experimented on her as well- and told her mother she had perished. And then, this past year, I encountered mercenaries from Seven whose minds had been all but destroyed by the Bureau, leaving them nothing but puppets for the Council. I wonder how many more lost children they ended up taking for themselves... or parents they tricked into handing their children over to them, with promises to help them? Hell, even one of the Twelve was experimented on by the Bureau as a child! It's unforgivable!" Natsu let go of Rustyrose, yelling the last sentence. He exhaled deeply.

Several moments of silence passed, before Rustyrose quietly asked, "How do you know that about Ultear? Your intelligence reports?"

Natsu shook his head. "She told me- and my team from Fairy Tail- first hand. We met up shortly after we woke up from our seven-year sleep on Tenrou Island. She was with Jellal and Meredy in Crime Sorciere."

Rustyrose stood back up. "But when I confronted Jellal and Meredy last year... she wasn't with them."

Natsu shook his head. "She sacrificed herself to save a lot of people, shortly after the x791 Grand Magic Games. She was a hero."

Rustyrose began to cry again, the news of losing yet another guildmate cutting straight to the heart.

"And Meredy and Jellal- they aren't the Council's lapdogs. They're not going after your allies- they're going after people that have hurt innocents. They're wanting to make a world where people don't have to suffer like they did. Can you blame them?"

Rustyrose slowly shook his head.

Natsu's voice rose slightly in excitement. "Then you do get it! Ultear, Jellal, Meredy- they're not held back by Precht's failures! And guess what, you don't have to be either! That doesn't have to be how your story ends! You can still prove what your father taught you was right- that Arc of Embodiment can make the world a better place!"

"So let me guess," Rustyrose said, looking up at Natsu. "I should come work for you in Alvarez?" He asked, tone skeptical. Natsu however, could see a spark of curiosity in his eyes.

"Yes, you should... but I haven't even gotten to the best part yet. The ultimate magic world you want- it exists. In a way."

That caught Rustyrose's attention. His posture stiffened slightly, and his eyes widened. "What?"

"There's no killing or enslavement of non-mages, but... the empire doesn't go by the rules of the Council. That's right: they may act like their pens and paper hand down decrees from the Heavens when it comes to what is evil or good, black or light magic, but in the empire, the only thing their decrees are good for is scrap paper. Yeah, they hate my brother for ignoring them, what are they gonna do? Even their rune knights can't stand up to the armies and mages of Alvarez."

Natsu's smile grew, and he sat back on the throne, leaning forward. "Non-mages and mages work together for the betterment of society. No Council nonsense about 'forbidden magic' holding anyone back. Magical research is decades beyond any Council affiliated kingdom in Ishgar!"

Before Natsu could continue, a new voice chimed in, "Kinda overheard you guys- sorry, y'all got loud- and I want to chime in and agree with the prince here." Wall walked over to the viewing area and addressed Rustyrose. "This airship- by far the most advanced we've ever built- is a perfect example of what Natsu's talking about. I'm a mage- I practice alchemy- and I designed this ship. And a lot of other smart mages- like August here- helped me with it. But- it never would have gotten built without the engineers and laborers- non-mages, most of them- that helped get my plans off the blueprints and into the world."

As if on cue, a man from the kitchen staff appeared, setting a tray of drinks and snacks on a nearby table. He bowed politely, and left, footsteps fading into the background noise of the airship as Wall glanced down at the tray and promptly grabbed a cookie off of it. "There's no resentment between mages and non-mages. We all realize we have roles to play in keeping the empire running, and when those roles overlap, we help each other. They're not afraid of our magic any more than we are of their skill sets." He popped the cookie in his mouth, and as he chewed, he asked, "Ya get it?"

Before anyone could answer Wall, Jackal broke the tension. "Hey, don't eat the good stuff! You're a robot, you can't even taste it!" Jackal lunged at Wall's cookie.

Wall recoiled from Jackal, his expression one of pure indignation. "Robot?! I ain't no damn robot you idiot! I'm a macias! I wasn't built in some factory or a lab- I was born, just like... well, everyone here but you! I got circuitry AND flesh, blood AND oil! Robot implies I'm an artificial intelligence, but I got a soul! Now my dolls, on the other hand, are more akin to robots..."

Rustyrose stared at Wall, looking dumbstruck. "Wait... a macias? But those are just a myth! If you're really some type of evolutionary fusion of biology and machinery that's able to use magic on top of it all, the Magic Council would rip you apart to get a glimpse of your insides! Don't tell me they wouldn't! I saw what they did to other kids in the Bureau!"

Wall stared at Rustyrose as he licked the crumbs off his fingers. "Oh yeah, I wouldn't put it past em. That's why you don't see a lot of us around- we stay hidden. Fortunately, most of us live in Alakitasia, and Prince Natsu's brother conquered our homeland... and unlike most assholes, he seemed interested in actually understanding us! So we formed an alliance with him. I'm actually the second or third macias to serve in the empire's army... which doesn't sound like a lot, but considering macias never, and I mean NEVER leave the homeland... it's kinda a big deal." Scowling at Jackal, he added, "And for the record, I CAN taste. So let me have my cookies!"

Natsu, Jackal, and Rustyrose listened with wide eyes. "That's... amazing Wall. I actually had no idea. Now that I think about it though, you did order a MIXTURE of rum and motor oil back at the bar..." Natsu said.

Wall grinned. "Guilty!"

"Wall has described the state of things in the empire very well," August said. "The divide between mages and nonmages is nonexistent in the empire since there is no Council to propagate fear or impose arbitrary restrictions. Innovation there thrives since cooperation is encouraged."

"Rusty," Natsu said. "Your magic- Arc of Embodiment- in the empire, you wouldn't have to hide it. People wouldn't fear it- in fact, it'd be celebrated! Think of all the good you could do- with your magic, the possibilities are endless! You'd be welcomed into the empire with open arms!"

Rustyrose's tears had dried, and he had been listening intently to what Wall, August, and Natsu had to say. Voice regaining its stability, he asked, "You told me you needed my help with something when you first found me. Why me specifically?"

Natsu's face grew serious. "Yeah... that's..." He turned to Jackal and Wall. "This is not to be repeated, got it guys?"

Wall nodded, smile vanishing into a serious expression. Jackal nodded too, and said, quieter than normal, "My lips are sealed, boss!"

Satisfied, Natsu looked back at Rustyrose. "My brother created a very powerful spell, one we intend to cast... however, it requires a massive magical item to function. It's too expensive and will take too long to wait for, building it under normal methods... but I thought you might be able to help us around those little problems."

"If I can imagine it, my magic can make it- within reason. Tell me more about this magic item." Rustyrose said, his interest clearly growing.

Natsu smiled. "It's one you're likely familiar with, given Grimoire Heart's history with it. The R System... or Tower of Heaven."

Rustyrose's eyes widened. "You're trying to recreate the Tower of Heaven?" He paused a second before laughing heartily. "You're actually serious! Do you have any idea how massive that tower is? I can create some structures with my own magic power, but something of that scale? No way. And even if I could, you'd still need a monumental amount of magic power to fuel the thing. It's why-"

Rustyrose cut himself off, his face shifting from amusement to shock, as if he had been hit by a train. "Wait... you said your brother made the spell? But the R System was created by Lord Zeref!" When no one answered him, his eyes grew wide. "Are you telling me... your brother... Emperor Spriggan, is actually Lord Zeref?!"

The others were quiet for a moment before Jackal cackled. "Nobody in the empire calls him that, you nitwit."

August scoffed under his breath, remembering correcting the etherious on the same matter when he had first come to the empire.

Rustyrose didn't seem to hear them. His eyes glazed over, and he pulled his legs into his chest. "You should have told me that from the start! I can't face him again- I still remember when he boarded our airship- the look he gave us- it wasn't just rage. It was the wrath of God Himself! I thought-"

Natsu blew a raspberry. "Please never say that again. If he hears that, he'll get a big head and start thinking he can intimidate people by giving them angry looks- and if he gives me one, I'll deck him- again. And then I'll get in trouble with Invel, so let's just avoid that scenario, okay?"

Rustyrose simply stared at Natsu, wide eyed.

"Ahem." August said, interjecting. "If I may... His Majesty has never taken kindly to his 'followers' in Ishgar... as many of them believe myths and distortions about him, as we spoke of earlier. His Majesty is not a god- he is as human as you or I, one that has suffered more tragedy than you can imagine. Approaching him with this understanding... you will find a very different man than you faced on Tenrou Island, I assure you."

"Yeah, if he wanted you dead back then, well, he would have just killed you." Jackal added.

Natsu nodded. "I wasn't kidding when I said you'd be welcomed into the empire- My brother knows what we're doing here, recruiting you- and approves. He may question you a little when we get back- but he understands, just like me, you're our best chance for this whole plan succeeding. And don't worry about the power source, we've got that handled."

"Indeed. In fact, said power source will give you the extra magic power you need to manifest the Tower of Heaven as well." August added.

Rustyrose looked intrigued now. "What kind of power source could contain that much energy?"

"An infinite source of magic power- yes, I mean infinite ." Natsu said, voice full of confidence. "If you want to know more, you'll have to join us- and by the way, this isn't extortion. You'll be rewarded- greatly- for your part in this."

A hint of nervousness remained in his vision, but Rustyrose slowly nodded, determination overtaking uncertainty. "Alright. If you really do have an infinite source of magic power, then as far as Arc of Embodiment goes, the sky's the limit." He bowed, and added, "Plus, if Lord- the emperor is willing to give me a chance to redeem myself, I don't feel like I can refuse. I offer you my services, Prince Natsu."

Natsu chuckled a bit, as he stood up and stretched out his hand. "My friends just call me Natsu."

Looking up, a small smile slid onto Rustyrose's face as he shook Natsu's hand. "Mine call me Rusty."

"Hell yeah, mission accomplished!" Jackal yelled, pumping his fist in the air. "Though you might want to make sure you kick that 'Lord Zeref' habit before you see His Majesty again... but feel free to call him Lord August!" He gestured at the old man in question.

"We're glad to have you on board, Rustyrose." August said. "I've noticed you've been eating a lot of those snacks- perhaps you'd like a full meal? There's plenty of time before we reach Vistarion. I can show you to the ship's kitchen."

"That'd be excellent, thank you, Lord August." He stood to leave, but turned back to Natsu. "I really would be interested to hear more about this infinite source of magic, if you'd care to enlighten me, Natsu."

Natsu leaned back on the throne. "Sure, but since you're working for us officially now, I got my first official order for you."

"Oh, uh, of course... what do you need me to do?"

"Take a shower and change your clothes. You stink."

Several hours later, the still unnamed flagship landed back in Vistarion's shipyards. Zeref, as well as Invel, Irene and a platoon of soldiers, which stood at attention, waited patiently for the ship's massive ramp to descend.

After several moments it did, the hiss of its hydraulics blending in with the clanging of tools in the shipyard. Appearing at the top of the ramp was Natsu, August, Jackal, and someone he didn't immediately recognize.

I'll take that as a good sign . Zeref thought, before he smiled and called out, "Good morning, little brother. Was your mission successful?"

"Of course it was! It's me we're talking about here! I'm the charismatic one, remember?" Natsu shouted back, descending the ramp.

Zeref smiled and shook his head. "Of course, how could I forget? You remind me so often..."

Natsu and the others were back on solid ground now. "Hey, don't look so glum. I can't help I inherited all of mom and dad's good social skills!"

Zeref nodded, a mischievous smile on his face. "That's fair, since I obviously inherited all their good looks."

Natsu's smile fell and was replaced with a scowl. He grumbled unintelligibly under his breath, which was completely drowned out by Irene and Jackal's laughter.

August stepped forward, gesturing to their new recruit. "Your Majesty, this is Rustyrose. He graciously agreed to join us and help us with our... project."

Rustyrose stepped forward and bowed deeply. "It's an honor, L- Your Majesty." He said, correcting himself. "I am grateful for this opportunity to work for you." His voice betrayed his nervousness.

Zeref narrowed his eyes, looking at the former dark mage up and down. "Rustyrose." He said, causing the man to look up and regard his former idol with wide eyes. Zeref's next words chilled the former dark mage to the bone- "I remember you."

Rustyrose flinched, the memory of Zeref's overwhelming rage on Grimoire Heart's airship all those years ago coming to the forefront of his mind. "I... I..."

Zeref held up a hand, silencing him, "While I'm sure my brother has adequately briefed you, I just want to make sure we are on the same page and you are not expecting the empire to embody the tenants of your old guild."

Rustyrose swallowed, and said, "Of course, Y-Y-Your Majesty. Your brother revealed... a lot on our way here. About Master Hades, and about the state of things in the empire. Master Hades said you would usher in an ultimate magic world, where lost magic like mine would be celebrated and not condemned... and the non-mages that shunned our magic would be done away with..." He paused as Zeref narrowed his eyes again, but pressed on, "But your brother told me that in the empire, lost magic is championed... and yet there is no divide between mages and non mages. To tell you the truth, I have spent so many years embittered at non-mages, so all of this is new to me... but I think I can learn to embrace this new world. If the relationship between nonmages and mages is as wonderful as Lord Wall and Prince Natsu has told me... then it really would seem the divide I saw in Ishgar came from the fear mongering of the Magic Council."

Zeref smiled. "Good. I am glad to hear that." Looking over at Natsu, he said, "It really would seem the Magic Council is quite the convenient villain, aren't they?"

Natsu smirked back. "Not our fault they're maniacally evil."

Turning back to Rustyrose, he asked, "I'm assuming Natsu and August explained what we needed your magic for. Can you do it?

Rustyrose nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "With the power of unlimited magic... I most certainly can. Your dreams will be made reality, you have my word, Your Majesty."

"Excellent. And when your word proves true, you will be greatly rewarded." Zeref replied. He turned to Invel. "It would seem we have all our pieces, Invel. We need to begin our final preparations for the invasion."

"At once Your Majesty. I calculate it will only take us several weeks to be fully prepared."

Zeref smirked. "Better than I could have hoped."

Invel nodded, and turned to Rustyrose. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Invel Yura, His Majesty's chief of staff and a member of the Spriggan 12. I reviewed our intelligence file on you this morning- I understand you grew up in a noble household- I take it you received formal schooling and education, while you were with your parents?"

Rustyrose nodded. "Yes, that is correct, Lord Yura."

"Excellent. Before our invasion, I would like you to work with me on some projects. You will be compensated of course."

Rustyrose bowed. "It would be an honor."

As the group walked through the shipyards, Natsu's mind was adrift. He was glad they were able to convince Rustyrose to help them, but this also meant the easy part of the job was over.

The hard part had yet to even begin.

I hope everyone enjoyed Rusty's first appearance. If he wasn't dramatic enough here, don't worry, he'll have his chance next chapter XD

I hope I didn't make Natsu too out of character here. Wanted to show the growth he's had with his position and determination to help Zeref :)

Also, the buffer is dead again. I don't know why but I've struggled with writing this next chapter. It's the last one before the war begins, so maybe I'm just psyching myself out since it's gonna be a lot of different things going on at once and I'm nervous about it. Oh well. I'm not giving up, even if it takes me longer than I'd like it to. I hope you'll be patient with me :D.

Since this is the last chapter before Christmas, I'll go ahead and wish everyone an early Merry Christmas! I hope you have a great holiday, if you celebrate.

Also. I would like to point out something that makes me (and probably only me) giggle every time I think of it.

Thanks to the OVA and its follow up in the manga, we know Christmas exists in the Fairy Tail universe.

Which means Jesus Christ exists in the Fairy Tail universe.

Conclusion= even in Earthland, Christ is king.

XD

See everybody next time!